Marnie
by Channel D
Summary: Tim is being pursued...by one of the plainest women he's ever seen. Can a kind personality make up for a lack of good looks? Action-adventure with a touch of whimsy. Written for the NFA McGee-OC challenge. Three chapters in all.
1. Part I

**Marnie**

**by channelD**

_written for_: The NFA _McGee/OC_ challenge. The aim of the challenge was to create an OC for Tim, and have them go on at least one date.  
_rating_: K plus  
_genre_: action/adventure, a little whimsy

- - - - -

disclaimer: As usual, I still own nothing of NCIS.

- - - - -

**Part I**

"_Marnie," Tim said, approaching her desk, "I can't hold it back anymore. I have to tell you…"_

"_Yes, Tim?" she said, her heart pounding._

"_You're…"_

"_Yes, Tim?" she started to say, or at least she thought she did, but he covered her lips with his, in a magnificently warm, passionate kiss. They—_

"Marnie! Earth to Marnie!"

"Um, yes, sir?" New Intel analyst Marnie Henchoz snapped out of her daydream and faced her boss. It wouldn't do to irritate him, in only her first week on the job.

"Have you finished with that data stream yet?" Intel Ops Supervisor Joel Lefebvre asked her.

There was no malice, or reprimand, in his voice. He was a kind man, she had determined, who believed that treating his people with affection was the best way to get good results. She liked that in him. If only he weren't 20+ years older than her and (evidently happily) married… "Yes, sir. I was just about to email you the results."

"Good work," he smiled. "Now, here's what I need to have you do next…"

About two-thirds of her brain listened, while the other third kept an eye out for who was in the squad room. Not Tim McGee, sadly; he and his team were still out somewhere. Probably out in some field, which would be all muddy, due to recent rains, and he'd come back all muddy, and maybe, like two days ago, he'd be so muddy that he'd have to take off his muddy shirt here in the squad room, and—

"Marnie! Did you get all that?"

"Yes, sir. I'll have it done by 4 o'clock."

"Good. That's what I like to hear." Lefebvre gave her a smile, and left.

Marnie sighed, and tried to push away thoughts of a shirtless Tim McGee so she could get back to work.

- - - - -

"Don't you dare," Tim said menacingly, as Tony wiped a handful of mud off his own jacket and looked Tim's way. All of the Mid-Atlantic states were sodden after day upon day of rain. This one time, Tim had managed to stay clean while Tony had gone flat on his back in a puddle, taking Ziva down with him. Tim knew Tony too well, and knew Tony would take any chance to break Tim's clean state, even if it meant throwing mud at him.

"Both of you are riding in the back of the van," Gibbs ordered Tony and Ziva. "The maintenance crew has complained about our frequently muddy seats. I'm tired of arguing back."

Tim stifled a smile as Ziva squawked and Tony made a face. Once they were all in and Gibbs started the van up, Tony banged on the sliding window. "Hey! Good thing you kept clean, Probie," Tony said when Tim opened it. "We'll be back before your girlfriend gets off work, and you wouldn't want her to—"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Tim said hotly, and slammed the window shut. He ignored the mildly reproachful look Gibbs gave him, and settled down to fume all the way back to the Navy Yard.

- - - - -

Of course Tony had picked up on the new woman's attraction to Tim from her first day on the job. Yes, Tim was between girlfriends at the moment. But _Marnie Henchoz??_

While she had brains, and seemed nice enough (unlike the gorgeous airheads Tim usually latched onto), the poor girl was one of the homeliest of all of God's creatures. Her short, dishwater blond hair was a mixture of curls and frizz. She had enough freckles to outfit 20 people, a nose a little too large and slightly crooked, and eyes a peculiar bright teal color. And her ears…oh, she should have _long_ hair to cover those elephant ears.

Tony had received two Gibbs slaps for that remark; one on each ear. Tim had winced. What Tony had said was cruel, and this bothered Tim's sense of decency. But, he didn't want to get too sympathetic toward Marnie, either. He had done nothing, he was sure, to encourage her attentions. She was, indeed, _ugly_, and there were much more beautiful girls in the world engaging his interest. He would keep his eyes averted, ignore her whenever possible, and pray that she'd soon set her sights elsewhere.

- - - - -

"You two are terrible," Ziva scolded, from the sliding window, once Tim had reopened it at her tap. "Making fun of that poor girl."

"I'm not making fun of anyone!" Tim protested. "I'd just rather stay…far away from her."

"Man, if I had your money, McGee, I'd do a charitable thing and send that gal to beauty makeover camp," Tony sighed with a smile. "Imagine, her not knowing how she looks!"

Ziva's look was frigid. "She knows. She is neatly dressed every day, showing she sees herself in a mirror. Obviously she has learned to live with her looks. I find that a very mature response. You should look that up in a dictionary, Tony. _Mature_. I guarantee you, your picture is _not_ under that word." She punched Tony in the shoulder and retreated to the back of the van.

"Wow," said Tim.

Tony shook his head. "Forget what she said. Chicks stick together."

Tim was suddenly seized by a terrible thought. "What if she asks me out?? What'll I say??"

"Say you have to wash your hair that evening?"

"What if she offers to help??"

"Okay; now you're spooking even _me_. She's not going to ask you out, though she may wait until the end of her days for _you_ to ask _her_ out."

"Knock it off; both of you," growled Gibbs at the wheel.

There was silence for a few minutes, and then Tim turned back to Tony at the sliding window. "Not going to happen!"

Tony grinned knowingly. "Then as long as you stay out of her way, you shouldn't have a problem."

"Yeah…maybe I'm worrying over nothing."

- - - - -

"Tim! There you are!" Marnie said breathlessly when the team returned to NCIS. "You're…_clean_," she said in what sounded like shock and disappointment.

"For once," he said. "Excuse me." He headed for his desk.

But she ran after him. "I need to ask you something," she said. "Will you go with me to the Coast Guard Ball?"

Tim was so surprised he almost fell over. "Uh…er…uh, sorry; I think I have something on that evening. Sorry." Blushing, he turned away. Could she tell that he was lying?

- - - - -

"McGee," said Director Shepard, pointedly, later that afternoon, having summoned him to her office. "I have an assignment for you. The Coast Guard Ball, Saturday night. Protection Detail."

Tim shrugged, mildly surprised at the coincidence. "Yes, ma'am. Who am I protecting?"

"One of our own people. Marnolla Henchoz, new to Intel. Have you met her?"

"_What??"_ His eyes were wide as wall clocks, and he dropped the cold water bottle she'd just given him. "Director, that woman is stalking me!"

"Nonsense. I've noticed she seems to have a schoolgirl-type crush on you, nothing more. But she did ask for you."

"Why are we protecting her?" he asked.

"She works with the Coast Guard, and has Coast Guard connections in her family. She was witness to a double murder and has received a death threat. The Coast Guard asked us to find her a job here, where she'd be relatively safe. In an event like the Ball, she would be a natural target. We'll have a couple other agents in plain clothes there, but you, as her 'date', will be her primary protection."

Tim swallowed. "Okay, ma'am."

Jenny smiled, appreciating his willingness to do his duty despite his personal feelings. "You don't even have to pick her up or take her home. She has a 24-hour guard who will deliver her to the ball and pick her up there."

- - - - -

And so before he knew it, it was Saturday, and Tim was at the Coast Guard ball, turned out in his tux. To her credit, Marnie wore a beautiful gown, the color of which she described as "sea mist green." Of course her hair was still awry and her nose too large and crooked, and all the other flaws were still there…but the gown would make a fence post look nice. Tonight, with Tim, Marnie seemed more demure and composed, as if she were in her element here at the ball. Considering the large Coast Guard contingent in her family, she probably was.

It was easier to talk to her tonight, when it didn't seem like she was desperate to stay in his field of vision. They sat at a small table drinking punch. "Nice place," Tim remarked, looking around the ballroom.

"The decorations are beautiful," Marnie remarked, and then said with just a touch of innocence, "I thought you had something on tonight?"

He was prepared. "I was going to go visit someone, but the Director asked me to come here tonight, so I rescheduled it. I'm always glad for the opportunity to earn comp time." It was more-or-less true; he and his sister Sarah had loosely talked about getting together for dinner.

"I can understand that. I'm back to being new-kid-on-the-block, at the lowest leave accrual level."

"So, your family's big on the Coast Guard?" Tim asked.

She smiled a little. "Yes; we've always lived along the coast. Mostly from Virginia on south. We just love being on the water."

"Very fishlike. Or froglike," Tim joked, then became alarmed at the sudden flash of worry on her face. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean—"

Marnie laughed, tightly. "Sorry for what? That was funny. I should apologize; my mind wandered, and…Would you like to dance? Just once?"

He frowned. "Okay, but I warn you; I'm not much of a dancer."

"I think you would do fine," she said, rising, and taking his offered hand. "Just let your mind and heart…float…"

_One two three, one two three…_

She was right…they glided across the floor, and she seemed ridiculously light in his arms, as if she weighed nothing at all. _This is really very nice,_ Tim thought. Even her face didn't seem as…ghastly as it had before.

One dance lead to another, and another, and another. Then Tim steered them, both dancing, out onto the dimly-lit balcony, out in the good, cooler air, where the rain had finally stopped and the moon muscled its way through the few remaining clouds.

"Whoa! It was getting warm in there!" Tim said. "Would you like some more punch?"

"Yes, please, Tim," she said, her face only a shadow here in the dark.

He returned quickly with glasses of punch, which proved to be just the thing. "It's so lovely out here," she murmured.

"Yes…lovely…" he echoed, wondering why he hadn't noticed until now how musical her voice sounded.

"Although I like rain. I grew up…"

"...lovely rain…" He took her face in his hands, and kissed her, softly. He could have sworn he felt a spark when he did so. Something besides the surprised little sound she made. He kissed her again, harder this time, and felt the spark even more strongly. And there was something besides that, something more curious…


	2. Part II

**Part II**

- - - - -

Marnie felt the spark, too, and terror rose in her. It was like all the moisture inside her, the good water that makes up all living things, was being sucked out of her. "Tim, I—I'm sorry—I have to go…" she said, a sob rising in her throat. Clutching her tiny purse, she ran back into the ballroom, and out the other side, before he could react.

"Marnie? _Marnie!!"_ An apology was swallowed; he didn't want to make a scene here. Besides, he was supposed to be guarding her. He took out after her.

Too late he realized he didn't have her cell phone number…assuming she even had a cell phone with her. He'd have to find her visually—and fast. Down the winding staircase to the ground floor he tore, looking around desperately. _There!_ A flash of sea mist green going out the hotel's front door. _"Marnie! Wait!!"_ Down the remaining steps two at a time now, and a bound across the gleaming floor…

"Marnie…!" He caught up to her, seized her arm.

Fear swam in her eyes as she turned to him. "Tim! Please—"

"No, no; I'm so sorry. I was too forward. I don't know what came over me…" _Indeed._ But oddly enough, in the murky yellow lights of the hotel entrance, she somehow didn't look as appalling. Was her nose a little straighter? Her hair a bit more under control?

She turned her face away. "I—I can't stay. I've called for my ride—"

"But it's still so early!" He really didn't want her to go, and it wasn't because he was afraid of being reprimanded for screwing up. To his surprise, he realized he sort of enjoyed her company. Sort of.

A black limo drove up and a driver got out and held the door open for her. "Goodbye, Tim," she said. She was sniffling now, and he longed to hunt up a tissue for her, feeling that was the least he could do, but that somehow seemed wrong. Too little, too late. Disheartened, he watched as the limo drove off.

- - - - -

Once home, Marnie spent hours looking in the mirror or out the window. _Drat the clear night sky,_ she thought, watching the golden ball that was the full moon rise. _What happened to that nice, fine rain?_

Back to looking in the mirror; looking with concern at her nose, her eyes, her freckles, her hair. Why was Life so complicated? Why did it give us so many challenges? She touched the little bend in her nose…tenderly; it was a little sore from where it had straightened itself out just a little this evening. A quick count showed that seven freckles were missing. Would they come back?

This was no good, this half-way measure. If Tim McGee wasn't the man for her, maybe there was no right man. _No, I won't believe that._

With a sigh, she applied night cream to her face, and then went to bed.

- - - - -

Tim often logged onto work from home. He'd been given permission to get through the firewalls to do work when he was prevented from showing up in the Navy Yard…or sometimes when he just couldn't sleep at night. Tonight he was going to do so for an unauthorized use, and this did make him sweat a little. He pulled up the basic contact info for Marnie; the bare-bones information anyone at work could get (the full personnel record he didn't dare hack into). He knew the backdoor key that could bring up the person's home address and telephone number. He jotted it down.

The next morning, Sunday, he had one hand on his cell phone and was about to dial. Then he stopped, put the phone down, and shredded the paper. No matter how guilty he felt about whatever he must have done wrong last night, he couldn't make up for it by calling her from information he's had no right to access. She'd wonder how he got it, and she'd be right to do so. He'd have to wait to see her at work on Monday, and talk to her then.

_What will I say? 'I'm sorry I kissed you'? That sounds weird._ But he knew he had to say _something_.

- - - - -

On Monday morning, Tim arrived at work to find a summons to the Director's office—again. _Now what?_ he wondered. He was in early that day; Ziva was there, but Tony wasn't yet, nor Gibbs. He cast a glance across the room toward the Intel desks, but didn't see Marnie there.

"So, how did it go at the ball?" Jenny asked him, smiling.

He tried to read her smile, but couldn't determine if it was sincere or not. He went for the truth. "I don't know, ma'am. Something happened…between us, and she ran out. I saw her safely get in the limo, and I visually ID'd the driver as our man Vickers, so at least that part was okay. Has she complained? I tried to apologize to her, but—"

Jenny looked surprised. "No, she didn't say a thing about you. That should mean everything went fine, but it did have me a trifle curious, so that's why I asked you up here this morning. The threat to her is still very real. She called me yesterday saying she had to go home to Charleston on a family matter, and would be back Tuesday or Wednesday. 

Naturally she gets the protection detail there and back." She paused, thought, then eyed him, head tilted. "Just what _did_ happen between you two at the ball, McGee?"

"I, uh, in a rash moment, I, uh, kissed her."

"You kissed her."

"Uh, yes."

Jenny snorted. "Tim, you are priceless." Then, seeing his blush, she added, "I don't think you scarred Marnie, if that's what you're worried about. She's ex-Coast Guard and pretty tough."

He wondered if he should tell her about the subtle change he'd seen in her features, and decided not to. Probably something in the punch had muddled his perceptions. "Director, can you tell me what her death threat is all about?"

"She witnessed the murder of two fellow base members. The alleged killer is still at large. He knows who she is, though, and has made the threat."

Tim winced. With all of that in her mind, did the NCIS people need to give her grief about her looks. "Is there anything I can do to help, ma'am? Work on the case?"

"Thank you, Tim, but no. The Coast Guard wants to keep that part of it in-house, for now. I only know that the suspect is in the Coast Guard—currently AWOL. His name is Shelby Carpentier. The incident took place at Marnie's base, in Fort Macon. The murder victims were Chief Warrant Officer Charlotte DaSilva and Petty Officer Mary O'Carroll." She gave him a final dismissal smile, and he nodded and left.

_For not wanting me to help on the case, the Director sure gave me a lot of information…_ He then mentally Gibbs-slapped himself. _She_ does want _me to look into it._ That was an interesting turn.

- - - - -

It was a slow day for the team, so Tim took advantage of that to call up information on Carpentier; the Fort Macon, North Carolina base; and the two murdered women…when no one was watching him. He was supposed to be working on last week's case. _Odd…why women? No hints of prior trouble for Carpentier…no pattern that matches outstanding serial killers…Nothing to show that he was romantically linked with either woman…without hacking, I can't get at the Coast Guard files, but there's a reasonably good chance that the victims knew him, since they were all at the same base. Police report shows that—_

Tony was supposed to be on last week's case, too, but Tim noticed that Tony kept looking his way. _What does he want? He can't know about the ball…I didn't tell anyone about that._ "What _is_ it, Tony?" he finally asked, as Gibbs appeared with a fresh coffee.

"Your girlfriend's not here today."

_I should have known._ "She's _not_ my girlfriend!" Tim snarled.

"Maybe she's just late. It must take time to apply that much ugly anti-makeup in the morning," Tony nodded at his own wisdom.

Tim was across the aisle in a flash, and his fist connected with Tony's jaw even faster. "You shut up!" Tim snapped, as Tony lay sprawled across his chair, his wastebasket, and the floor. "You leave her alone! She's a nice girl!"

"It's about time someone said that," said Gibbs, giving Tony a stern look before helping him up. "McGee—how's the weapons trace coming on the Omega case?"

"Uh, working on it, boss," Tim said, stifling a sigh as he closed the windows he had open related to Marnie's case. From the corner of his eye, though, he saw Ziva giving him a pleased smile. He looked her way and returned it, feeling good about himself, for once.

- - - - -

Ziva cornered him at lunch in the food court. "I could not help but notice, McGee, that you have become a defender of Marnie Henchoz. Why is that? I approve, by the way."

She _had_ been supportive. Tim waved her to join him at his table, and told her about the ball, and even, with slight embarrassment, about the kiss…hastening on to Marnie's swift departure. He didn't mention Jenny's comments from this morning.

"So you are not as revolted by her looks as you were before?" Ziva asked, watching his reaction.

"I guess not," he said, honestly. "I know looks shouldn't make a difference, anyway, though they always seem to. You must think Americans are really shallow."

"I think _Tony_ is incredibly shallow, sometimes. In all countries, people respond to standards of beauty, in mine as well. It is…" she hesitated, as if afraid to divulge something. "…hard for most of us woman to hear of another woman put down in that way, by a man. It is like an insult to all women. Like we are nothing more than what is on our faces."

Tim blushed again, and it occurred to him that he was doing that a lot, lately. "I hadn't thought of it that way, but you're right. We shouldn't treat people that way. And Marnie is really nice. I still don't know why she latched onto _me_, though."

"She looked beyond your face, and saw you have a kind heart, McGee," Ziva smiled. "Kind hearts are more likely to look behind the surface. Oh, I must get back. I am supposed to go interview the Omega suspect's parents at 1:30." She picked up her tray and walked out, leaving Tim still smiling.

- - - - -

That evening in Charleston, Marnie sat before the large mirror in her bedroom, long after her parents had fallen asleep. The guard in the living room and the one in the hall outside her bedroom were still there and awake; she checked on them every now and then.

Her face was still tender, but the nose appeared to be shifting back into position. She counted her freckles. Five freckles were still missing. She sighed. If only the Coast Guard could catch Carpentier, then she could stop worrying so much. Worry only made things worse.

She turned out the light and got into her canopied bed, relaxing as a warm, moist breeze came in the window, ruffling the lacy curtains. The night was alive with the sound of wetland creatures: crickets, frogs, birds. It was nice to be home…but tomorrow, she knew, she had to go back to Washington. She had done her bit here, reassuring Mamma and Daddy that she was okay and protected. Washington was where her job now was…and where, perhaps, the next stage in her life began.


	3. Part III

**Part III**

- - - - -

Ziva followed Tony's gaze two days later. It rested on Marnie, working obliviously at her desk.

"What are you up to?" Ziva asked.

"Nothing," he said, smiling a little. "She's back. And…there's something different…"

Ziva looked, but didn't notice any change. Tim, arriving late, did notice Marnie, though, and swung by to say hello to her. Marnie looked up at him and smiled.

"She looks happy," Tony remarked.

"She should be," said Gibbs, coming in. "The Coast Guard has found Shelby Carpentier, the killer who sent her the death threat. He's in custody,"

"Well, hey; that's great," said Tim, as Marnie told him the same thing. "That must really be a load off your mind."

"And," she added, "that means I can go back to work at the Coast Guard, since I won't need NCIS protection any longer! I'll finish out the week here and then it's back to Fort Macon."

It was one of those bits of news that is happy for the speaker and unhappy for the audience. "Wonderful for you," Tim said with a forced smile. He spotted Marnie's boss coming their way, and so waved goodbye. He wished he'd had the chance to ask her if she'd like to go do something this weekend. Ah, but she'd probably be on her way back to North Carolina. And he hadn't even had time to do a proper apology.

- - - - -

He did get a second chance, as it turned out. His team happened to work late that night, and so did she. Tim and Marnie reached the elevator at the same time. They smiled at each other, then looked shyly at their shoes. "Long day," Tim remarked.

"Yeah. For me, too," she said.

"Are you hungry? There's a great French restaurant near here…"

She shuddered. "I don't do French cuisine. They serve frog legs. That's horrible."

"Okay; how about Russian?"

"I love Russian!"

They came to the front entrance. "Nuts; it's raining again," he said, frowning, and turned up the collar of his trench coat. "Wait here; I'll pull my car around front so you won't get very wet."

"I don't mind the weather. I love the nice, fine rain," she said smiling. "I like walking in the rain. Well, except when it's pouring. Then I'll take shelter."

"Wise move," said a voice behind them. Tony. "Are you two headed out somewhere?" Tony asked, the faintest hint of disbelief in his voice.

"Just dinner," said Tim, simply.

"Have a good time," said Tony, and opened an umbrella as he stepped outside.

"That's your partner? What's he like?" asked Marnie.

Tim rolled his eyes. "Hard to sum up. Part over-age frat boy; part good cop; part idiot; part friend. Sometimes more than one of those at once. Let me call the restaurant and make a reservation."

- - - - -

The restaurant was delightful; decorated with traditional Russian art objects. The booths were patterns of dark red, black, and gold. Tim and Marnie fell into animated conversation. Although the lighting wasn't strong, he was sure that she looked…different. Less homely; verging on plain, or maybe even beyond that. _I don't care how she looks,_ he thought at one point. _I doubt I'll marry her, but she's fun to be with. That's not a bad thing in a date._

They were finishing the first course when Tim's phone rang_. "McGee, DiNozzo says you left the building with Marnolla Henchoz. Is she still with you?"_ asked Gibbs.

"Uh, yes, boss. We're having dinner."

"_In a restaurant?"_ Gibbs' voice tightened.

"Yes, the Russian Great Bear on Wisconsin Avenue. Why?"

"_The protective detail for Henchoz was dropped after Carpentier was picked up. But his attorney somehow convinced the judge to set bail. It was steep, but Carpentier met it. So Henchoz is in danger again, and it'll take the Coast Guard awhile to regroup with a new protection detail."_

Tim gulped. "I can see her home safely, boss."

"_This is bigger than you, McGee. This guy has to be considered desperate. Stay where you are…David, DiNozzo and I will be there as quickly as we can."_

"Trouble?" Marnie asked as Tim snapped the phone shut.

He noticed that in her fearful look, the plainness of her features stood out. "Carpentier is out on bail," he said. "But don't worry; you're going to be safe. My team is on its way here now. You'll have all four of us with you."

- - - - -

"The first thing you have to do, Lieutenant Henchoz," said Gibbs, giving her proper title when the team assembled at Tim and Marnie's booth, "is to move out of the extended stay motel you've been living in here. Carpentier will probably be furious at having been arrested. So if he had any doubts about coming after you before, they'll be gone now. And that's the first place that he'll come looking for you. Unfortunately, that facility is well known as being used by the Coast Guard when their people are visiting Washington."

Marnie nodded numbly. "I can just abandon everything if you think that's best, Agent Gibbs. It can all be replaced."

Gibbs saw the attempt to be brave on her face. "I don't think that's necessary. We'll help you pack and have you out of there in ten minutes. Then we'll move you to a Navy safe house. With guards, of course."

"Thank you," she said, looking down at her dinner plate; struggling to stay in control.

"Do you carry a weapon?" Ziva asked, changing the subject kindly.

"A knife," said Marnie, looking up with red-rimmed eyes. "I don't know how to use a gun. I didn't join the Coast Guard to be a fighter. I have a degree in marine biology. I mostly do research."

"A knife is good. I prefer knives," said Ziva, while feeling that Marnie probably had never used her knife on anything more threatening than a stalk of seaweed.

"Are we going to hang around here?" asked Tony. "Because if we are, the Russian pastries in this place are incred—"

"Let's go," said Gibbs. "McGee, call your waiter over and settle your bill."

- - - - -

The extended stay motel Marnie had been using was in a quiet suburban neighborhood, but that didn't keep Gibbs' team from being on full alert. Leaving Tony to watch the building entrance, Gibbs, Ziva and Tim escorted Marnie to her room. Once sweeping it to determine it was unoccupied, Ziva then went back downstairs to join Tony while Gibbs and Tim helped Marnie pack. She was military-efficient, and packing took only eight minutes.

They quickly rejoined the others and headed back out into the damp night air. Gibbs insisted Marnie and Tim ride with him; he wanted a second person with Marnie. Ziva and Tony followed in Tony's car.

Out on the highway, Tim, in the back seat, kept peering out the back window. "Got a tail, boss," he announced at one point. "White pick-up truck with…ah…West Virginia plates."

Gibbs glanced in the rear view mirror. "I see him," he grunted. "Call Ziva."

Before Tim could do that, however, the truck sped up and rammed them in the rear end. Gibbs swore, and increased their speed. Again they were all jolted when the truck hit the rear bumper. Tim managed to get through to Ziva long enough to explain their predicament.

Gibbs switched to the far right lane. There was an exit coming up; they would take that. Without knowing how much damage had been done to his car, Gibbs didn't want to do more high speed driving on the highway. Tim called Ziva back to warn them that they might need to switch Marnie to their car in a hurry.

But the truck pulled alongside, and bumped Gibbs' car. Gibbs swerved, then sped up, trying to lose the truck. No such luck. Again the truck pulled alongside and hit Gibbs' car, this time hard. The car swerved onto the shoulder and then off the shoulder and down a small embankment into the sunken median.

- - - - -

Tim climbed out of one of the car's backseat side doors, his head aching from having hit the head rest. He was glad to see Gibbs and Marnie getting out of their doors. Up on the shoulder, Carpentier had stopped his truck and was getting out. "Marnie! Run!" Tim commanded her, and gave her a shove in the opposite direction. "Run, and hide!"

"But, Tim—!"

He had already run to join Gibbs, taking cover behind open doors of the car. Gibbs called on Carpentier to surrender. But they only heard him laugh. He pulled out his rifle, and aimed it toward the running Marnie…

…and Gibbs took him down with one shot.

Tim caught up with Marnie, who was not a fast runner, in about five steps. He grabbed her, called her name, and turned her around. She gasped in relief and willingly fell into his arms. The two of them were strongly illuminated by the tall highway fog light overhead, which cast a faintly orange shade over everything. "It's over. This time, it's really over," Tim said stroking her back as she cried.

Orange maybe wasn't the most flattering of shades, but to Tim, Marnie looked appealing in it. Maybe it was because he'd gotten to know her. Those lovely, weird but lovely, teal eyes…He kissed her, wanting so much the touch of her lips, red-orange in this light, on his. She kissed back, eagerly, as the misty rain fell on them.

And then, Tim felt…something was happening. Something changing. It was as if her lips, or her entire face, was shifting as they kissed.

When they parted, Marnie met his eyes, and smiled at him, prettily.

Prettily.

He looked at her in astonishment. She was _beautiful_. Gone were the elephant ears; replaced by two dainty shell-like ones. The big crooked nose was now a cute button; the freckles had almost all fled, leaving behind a calm dozen. Her hair was now a cap of tight, golden, neat curls. The eyes were still that teal color, but that just gave her a slightly exotic air.

"Wow," was all Tim could say.

She grinned at him. "I owe you a lot, Tim. Someday I'll tell you all about it."

"Yeah," he said, still stunned.

Tony ran up to them. "You two okay? Uh…I think you're better than okay, Lieutenant! Pursuit must agree with you." His grin ran fully across his face.

So did Marnie's (to Tim's surprise). "You really think so, Tony?" she asked.

"Most assuredly!"

She giggled, and then smiled into Tony's eyes.

"I guess you won't need the Navy safe house," Tony said. "I can drive you back to the extended stay motel, if you want to check back in there."

"Thank you. I'd like that." She hooked her arm in his and climbed up the embankment with him to his car, parked on the shoulder. Tim watched them go, speechless.

Ziva left Gibbs and came to Tim's side. "She changed, did she?"

"I have no idea what just happened," said Tim.

Ziva smiled. "Well, let us see. She has a degree in marine biology, she has always lived along the coast, she loves the water—and rain. And she hates French restaurants because they serve frog legs. McGee, was this the first time you ever kissed a frog to turn her into a beautiful princess?"

He stared at her. "You're joking."

"Yes. A little. You saw…and Tony saw…a lovely woman emerge from this ordeal. I only saw a plain woman become somewhat less plain when all the stress and fear were taken away. But I am a woman, and perhaps I view other women differently than men do."

The steady mist was making him wetter and wetter. He wished he had a hat. He didn't like rain very much. "But—"

"And despite all you did for her, and the kindness you showed her, she's gone off with Tony," Ziva said, reading his mind.

"I thought she liked me," he said, simply. "But I don't have Tony's looks."

Ziva linked arms with him. "Unfortunately, women can be as shallow as men. I am sorry, McGee. Sorry that it did not work out for you."

They went back to where Gibbs was. It would be a wait before the Autopsy van arrived, and the tow truck arrived to get Gibbs' car out of the sunken median. A state police car pulled up; then another. "You two up for dinner when we're done here?" asked Gibbs. "I'm starving."

"Yes," said Ziva. "I was thinking…"

"French," said Tim.

- END -


End file.
